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View Full Version : A good all day plan for Epcot?



momof3+twins
06-15-2010, 03:40 PM
Has anyone found a good touring plan (or even just have some ideas for one) for Epcot. What I am looking for is a full day in Epcot without completly wearing everyone out. So, air conditioning, good break spots, anything! I am not hopping this year and want stay in the parks instead of breaks in the afternoons and plan on leaving by 7pm.

mjm12000
06-15-2010, 04:38 PM
I would say to do all of future world in the morning when the park first opens, if you get there at opening time and get a fast pass for soarin, then head over to the far side of future world and ride Test track, then mission space, then back to the other side and ride Nemo, explore the aquariums and then it should be time for your fast pass for soarin. After soarin we ride the land and then have a bite to eat in the food court at the land. This will leave you with the imagination pavilion rides to do , and Ellen's energy universe on the far side, you can do those now or come back and do them later in the day if you wish.

Then I head over to the world show case and usually start at Canada and work my way around doing each show or ride in each country, you will no doubt find that when you walk from country to country is when you heat up, but just when you think you can not take the heat anymore you will be at the next country, so explore each one and you can stay cool, try a treat or drink at each country as well. If you finish all of this with time to spare, it is always fun to head out the international gateway and go explore around the boardwalk area hotels, and even take in a round of mini gulf at Fantasia gardens, then head back to the park for a nice diner (I would recommend reservations for most diner places) and then illuminations. If you have small kids with you they will no doubt find the Kimpossible scavenger hunt to be fun. I hope that helps with some ideas. If you get tired check out the shops near the fountain and also the fountain itself does a nice show. Oh and how could I forget spaceship earth, a nice long slow ride in the airconditioned darkness...

Fastpasssteve
06-15-2010, 07:36 PM
Good luck. I have tried to do this very thing for years, but always end up, pooped, drunk, stupid, or all three by the end. Accept the fact that you're not going to see everything, and your plan will go smoothly. Some things are simply going to have to fall by the wayside.

PETE FROM NYC
06-15-2010, 08:02 PM
First thing to do is get your fast passes for Soarin, Test track or whatever.
Then head back to the other side of FW, do Energy, and work your way around FW, not rushing to do Spaceship Earth until the AM rush tapers down. Time it so you are in the Land around time for lunch.
Unless the place is very crowded, we can usually do just about all of Epcot in a day. Thats without too much shopping.

Plex
06-15-2010, 08:05 PM
I would say to do all of future world in the morning when the park first opens, if you get there at opening time and get a fast pass for soarin, then head over to the far side of future world and ride Test track, then mission space, then back to the other side and ride Nemo, explore the aquariums and then it should be time for your fast pass for soarin. After soarin we ride the land and then have a bite to eat in the food court at the land. This will leave you with the imagination pavilion rides to do , and Ellen's energy universe on the far side, you can do those now or come back and do them later in the day if you wish.

Then I head over to the world show case and usually start at Canada and work my way around doing each show or ride in each country, you will no doubt find that when you walk from country to country is when you heat up, but just when you think you can not take the heat anymore you will be at the next country, so explore each one and you can stay cool, try a treat or drink at each country as well. If you finish all of this with time to spare, it is always fun to head out the international gateway and go explore around the boardwalk area hotels, and even take in a round of mini gulf at Fantasia gardens, then head back to the park for a nice diner (I would recommend reservations for most diner places) and then illuminations. If you have small kids with you they will no doubt find the Kimpossible scavenger hunt to be fun. I hope that helps with some ideas. If you get tired check out the shops near the fountain and also the fountain itself does a nice show. Oh and how could I forget spaceship earth, a nice long slow ride in the airconditioned darkness...

I'd really give the same advice. The World Showcase is a great way to end your day. It has plenty of places to stop and rest, air conditioning, and refreshments! :marg:

It also depends a little on what time of year that you're going. If it's the summer months, trying to grab a Fast Pass for Spaceship Earth for sometime in the mid afternoon would probably be a great way to beat the heat!

megustamex
06-16-2010, 01:19 AM
Good luck. I have tried to do this very thing for years, but always end up, pooped, drunk, stupid, or all three by the end. Accept the fact that you're not going to see everything, and your plan will go smoothly. Some things are simply going to have to fall by the wayside.

Have to second this. I find it so hard to stay in one park all day. I've tried several times and I'm just wiped out by the time 4:00 rolls around. We did it once at Epcot this year and went to a 6:00 dinner and even before that I wanted to pass out. Even without park hopping, I'd still head back for a break at the room and then go back out again to the same park.

Ms. Mode
06-16-2010, 06:40 AM
On our first trip to WDW we had PH with all the extras and didn't use any of it. We spent a full day in each park (August) until after the fireworks. It can be done...but...you will be tired at the end of the day! Have fun.:mickey:

indytraveler
06-16-2010, 09:04 AM
I agree with doing future world first. I usually go Test Track first because you know its working at that time. After Test Track I will go to Soarin' and get FastPasses, then head over to get those off Mission Space and Head to Ellen. From there we may stop by Spaceship Earth or go to the Seas. At this time its close to Fast Pass return time and we go to soarin' and then ride the Land and to Imagination. From there its time to eat Lunch and World showcase. I don't think we have ever made it each country in the same day. We have our favorites that we tend to do each time.

Either get your fast pass first or within the first hour of the park opening should be OK. I have always gone in the summer (July, August) peak times and have never been shut out of a fast pass for Soarin' doing it this way.

KAT1811
06-16-2010, 09:14 AM
Epcot and MK are the only parks we spend all day in. Our plan of attack for Epcot has always been Spaceship Earth first thing, then off to Soarin', Living with the Land, and Nemo. then we cross over to Test Track and get a FP then we do Ellen's Energy Adventure while we wait for the FP to come about. Once in a blue moon we walk around in Innoventions but to be honest haven't done it in a few years and I'm thinking that we will on our next trip. Then we tackle the countries. We typically start in Mexico and move a long from there but on our last trip we got one of the Kim Possible "cell phones" and toured the countries that way. The kids LOVED it!!! I dont' think we'd do the countries any other way! With 4 children keeping them engaged in the World Showcase portion of the day is key to us enjoying it and the Kim Possible "trip" and the masks do exactly that! Actually I think they enjoy WS more so than FW!!! Good luck!!! I could spend days in Epcot!! It's my favorite park!!!

Mickey'sGirl
06-16-2010, 09:37 AM
Spend some time in Innoventions. My boys will spend hours there --- There's Innoventions East and Innoventions West, and there is plenty to do in both. They are not usually busy, there are plenty of seats about for resting weary feet, it is beautifully cool, and there are many different cool and under the radar attractions to do.

MOJoe
06-16-2010, 10:07 AM
Honestly, trying to do as much as you can and stay in Epcot all day in the summer months is near suicide. The park is just too big and the attractions that offer respite from the heat are too far apart.

Just my thoughts, but it is far better to take in Future World till the sun starts to wear you down, go back to your resort for a swim or a nap, then return to World Showcase for the evening and Illuminatons. I've tried it your way, but i turn into a Zombie before i'm done.

crltkcagle
06-16-2010, 10:20 AM
I would definetly say do Future World first thing. Eat lunch and then head over to World Showcase. There is no way you can see everything before 7 but you can probably see most of it. Have a fun trip!

momof3+twins
06-16-2010, 12:55 PM
We are going in September. But, I think that it still may be too much without an afternoon break. What do you all think about Future World until lunch, break at hotel, dinner in World Showcase followed by a tour of the countries?

kemps@wdw
06-19-2010, 11:52 PM
Get @ the gates about an hour early (bring your coffee and danish), be the 1st in line or @ the rope and look for the CM looking for a "Family of the Day". (my DH can spot her a mile away) It'll get you FP for all the attractions and you won't have to run from side to side in FW to get them. And since WS doesn't open til later, you should be able to do all you want (probably not EVERYTHING), by noon or round about. Grab some lunch, or nosh you way around the countries. Take your time, and look for the out-of-the-way areas. Stop and enjoy the local shops, eateries, music, and beautiful details of each country. Epcot is our fave park, and I always find something new each time we go. We like nothing better than a late afternoon/evening stroll around he lagoon and topping off the night w/Illuminations. :thumbsup: You can stay in the park all day w/o literally wearing yourself out!

magicalmom
06-20-2010, 06:10 PM
Don't forget about the street theater and music- in both FW and WS you can find really enjoyable, high quality performances. It's easy to get so wrapped around doing all the big stuff that you forget about these little gems. Although you're not indoors, you are standing (or sitting) still, and laughing or tapping your feet. Don't they say a change is as good as a rest?

SBETigg
06-20-2010, 07:08 PM
Epcot and MK are the only parks we spend all day in. Our plan of attack for Epcot has always been Spaceship Earth first thing, then off to Soarin', Living with the Land, and Nemo. then we cross over to Test Track and get a FP then we do Ellen's Energy Adventure while we wait for the FP to come about. Once in a blue moon we walk around in Innoventions but to be honest haven't done it in a few years and I'm thinking that we will on our next trip. Then we tackle the countries. We typically start in Mexico and move a long from there but on our last trip we got one of the Kim Possible "cell phones" and toured the countries that way. The kids LOVED it!!! I dont' think we'd do the countries any other way! With 4 children keeping them engaged in the World Showcase portion of the day is key to us enjoying it and the Kim Possible "trip" and the masks do exactly that! Actually I think they enjoy WS more so than FW!!! Good luck!!! I could spend days in Epcot!! It's my favorite park!!!

I think this is a good plan. What kills us in Epcot is that we're always hopping between Soarin and Test Track, fastpassing one then riding the other. All that back and forth really adds to the exhaustion. If you can finish one side of the Future World, then the other, and then WS, it's probably going to be better than bouncing around, back and forth. This is why we park hop. Epcot is big and tiring, so much walking. Taking a break and breaking it up between days with other parks in the mix works better for us than all day at one park. But Kat1811's plan for all-day Epcot sounds manageable.

DizNee143
06-23-2010, 08:47 AM
i have never been a crazy planner the way some people are on this site..i just dont understand how following a schedule of vacation is considered "fun"...anyways..
so with that..we have never really mapped out our days..but we always stay a full day at a park..we just take our time..visit what we want to in future world..rest and break whenever it hits us to do so..and then move on to the countries and continue to stop and rest when needed..we usually manage to get most of what we want done..
have fun! :mickey:

pokci
06-26-2010, 08:11 AM
Get there just before opening. At opening head toward Soarin', get in line and do that one. Then come out and walk over to Test Track, either do that or get a fast pass. But this way you're doing your long range walking before the high noon sun. Then go to Mission Space and do that one. Complete that side with universe of energy and it'll be easily late morning but most of those are indoors and seated. Universe of energy is 45 minutes good place to rest the morning legs. Then go for lunch for the counter service between the two sides, come out toward Living Seas and do that one, spend some time wandering in there. Head to The Land and do the boat ride and finish up at Imagination. It should be mid afternoon on the early side. Walk to Mexico, heading left at World Showcase, crowds normally go right. Visit Mexico, and work your way around. I would suggest Dinner at Germany or Japan and then continue working your way around. By the time you're back at the entrance to FW it should be time for the fireworks. Now, this doesn't include SE or Innoventions or some other things, and it's based on visiting at a slower time of year. The nice thing about Epcot is that there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy a longer ride or show, cool off and kick the feet up. As PPs have said, there is no way you will do it all in one day. If it's a busier time, check the map prior to coming, figure out what things you HAVE to see, and then plan accordingly. EPCOT is a two day park, at a minimum. Have fun!